PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Vlad Haiducu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cain Dos Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vlad Haiducu has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Haiducu
vs
Dos Santos

188 cm
22
180 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
22
178 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vlad Haiducu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Cain Dos Santos!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Valeri Chadov and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A punch combination from Haiducu misses.

Dos Santos looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Haiducu!
Haiducu gets back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Haiducu blocking the ground and pound attempt from Dos Santos.
Haiducu is looking for a sweep. Dos Santos is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Haiducu is defending against the submission attempts here by Dos Santos.
Haiducu is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Haiducu wants to control but Dos Santos is keeping busy.
Haiducu is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Dos Santos is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Haiducu is just riding it out for now. Dos Santos eventually gives up the hold.
Haiducu wants to improve his position but Dos Santos is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Haiducu fails to land with a series of punches.
Haiducu throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Dos Santos.
Dos Santos slips a jab and a cross from Haiducu.
A left lands for Haiducu.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Dos Santos.
Some wild striking there from Haiducu.

Dos Santos changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Haiducu looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Dos Santos wants to lay and pray for a moment but Haiducu keeps working.

Dos Santos working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Dos Santos misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Haiducu tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Dos Santos wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Haiducu is looking to get back to his feet here but Dos Santos is keeping cool and he's managed to take Haiducu's back.
Haiducu is keeping busy.

Dos Santos looking for the choke but no joy.

Haiducu showing good submission defense here.
Dos Santos looks gassed!
Haiducu is trying to break free.
Dos Santos not allowing Haiducu to control his hands.
Haiducu tries to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haiducu trying to control but not successfully.

Haiducu fending off the submission attempt from Dos Santos.
Haiducu prevents Dos Santos from getting a body triangle.

Dos Santos looking for the choke but no joy.
Haiducu has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Dos Santos throwing sloppy strikes.

Haiducu fending off the submission attempt from Dos Santos.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haiducu breaks Dos Santos's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.

Dos Santos looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Dos Santos utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Haiducu stands up from Dos Santos's guard - Haiducu perhaps looking for a knockout.
Haiducu looks to land a body kick but Dos Santos moved away.
Haiducu throws a series of punches but Dos Santos avoids them all with ease.
Haiducu misses with a low kick as Dos Santos jumps back.
Dos Santos avoids a punch combination nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cain Dos Santos dominated that round.
That's time! Haiducu's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Haiducu.

Dos Santos shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Haiducu is trying to defend but Dos Santos finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Dos Santos is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Dos Santos wants to control but Haiducu is keeping him busy.
Haiducu tries to kick Dos Santos off but Dos Santos keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Haiducu is trying to maintain the position but Dos Santos is very close to passing his half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Dos Santos sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Dos Santos is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haiducu tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Dos Santos has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Haiducu keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Dos Santos working Haiducu over with strikes here.
Dos Santos lands a nice shot to the head.
Dos Santos looking to finish Haiducu with some ground and pound. This is bad for Haiducu!
Dos Santos throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Dos Santos raining down shots from the mount!
Haiducu wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Haiducu wants to control but Dos Santos is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dos Santos working for a submission but Haiducu is keeping him at bay.

Dos Santos is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Haiducu to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Haiducu shrugs it off.
Haiducu is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Haiducu is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Dos Santos is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Dos Santos landing strikes, looking to finish!
Dos Santos trying to control but Haiducu is having none of it.
Dos Santos lands a big elbow.
Dos Santos throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Dos Santos throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Dos Santos thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Haiducu because Dos Santos loaded up on that one.
Haiducu tries to lock up and control but Dos Santos gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Haiducu really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Dos Santos with a couple of short strikes.
Dos Santos punishing his opponent with strikes.
Dos Santos dominating with strikes here.
Dos Santos throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Haiducu because Dos Santos loaded up on that one.
Haiducu is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Dos Santos wants to finish this one by submission but Haiducu is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Dos Santos.
Dos Santos misses with a head shot.
Haiducu working to try and regain half guard.
Dos Santos with good strikes from the mount here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Dos Santos pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

Dos Santos is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Haiducu has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Haiducu tries to hold on but Dos Santos pushes him away.
Dos Santos with shots to the head and body - Haiducu looks very uncomfortable down there.
Dos Santos prevents Haiducu from getting the reversal.
Dos Santos landing strikes, looking to finish!
Dos Santos cracks Haiducu with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Dos Santos in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Poor strikes thrown by Dos Santos there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

Dos Santos looking to secure an arm triangle but Haiducu defends it well.
Cain Dos Santos has got the better of the ground game so far.
Haiducu regains half guard.

Dos Santos wants to work for an arm triangle but Haiducu is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cain Dos Santos showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Haiducu chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Haiducu looks to land a right hand but Dos Santos moved out of range.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Dos Santos is defended easily by Haiducu.
Nice takedown defense from Haiducu. No joy for Dos Santos on that attempt.
An inside leg kick lands from Haiducu.
Dos Santos fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Vlad Haiducu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cain Dos Santos.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dos Santos is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Haiducu.
Vlad Haiducu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Haiducu misses with a series of wild punches.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Dos Santos drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dos Santos looking to pass the guard.
Haiducu trying to control the position.

Dos Santos thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Dos Santos wants to control from the top but Haiducu keeps moving.
Haiducu is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Dos Santos is controlling him.
Dos Santos looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Haiducu looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Dos Santos shoots in and bounces Haiducu off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Dos Santos not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Haiducu utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Haiducu pulls Dos Santos in to control the position.
Dos Santos throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Dos Santos slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Haiducu is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Dos Santos is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Haiducu has escaped the position, nice work there.
Haiducu is not content to let Dos Santos control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haiducu is trying to control Dos Santos's posture but Dos Santos avoids it.

Dos Santos tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Dos Santos has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Dos Santos thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Cain Dos Santos is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Dos Santos trying to control the action but Haiducu is working from the bottom.
Haiducu can't do much from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Haiducu tries to bench press Dos Santos off him but Dos Santos keeps the position.
Dos Santos slows the pace down.
Vlad Haiducu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Haiducu tries to buck Dos Santos off but Dos Santos is having none of it.
Dos Santos controlling the position from side mount.
Haiducu tries to bench press Dos Santos off him but Dos Santos keeps the position.
Dos Santos controlling the position.
Dos Santos has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Haiducu is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cain Dos Santos comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Dos Santos winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cain Dos Santos!